Idiots Don't Go to Heaven
by Rebecca Pierce
Summary: It's funny, what my momma said. "Idiots don't go to heaven," she told me. But if you're the one sitting next to me while we watch everyone go, then maybe I don't want to see heaven after all.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: They don't belong to meh!

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Idiots Don't Go to Heaven

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**Prologue**

If there was one thing Tifa Lockhart had ever learned from her mother before her untimely death, it was that idiots did not go to heaven. Of course, when she was little she didn't know what exactly her mother meant, just that it was something akin to a line from sacred script: holy, wise, and always right.

As she grew, it came to mean different things in her life. At first, when her mother was fresh in her grave, Tifa believed that idiots didn't go to heaven if they didn't try to bring back the ones they loved. A test of sorts, to prove one loved those that had died. So with this belief lighting her eyes, she set off stubbornly to chase after her mother's departed spirit through the mountain pass.

Needless to say, that little venture didn't end well.

Fast forward a couple years and it was her and Cloud making a promise, him leaving and her really just surprised to see such a boy offering a confession in an unorthodox yet deep way. So with the saying in her heart she uttered her promise to him without even realizing what exactly she was getting herself into.

Well, now she was twenty-one.

She had been through many things, had seen many people die. A war, saving her world, raising children--she had done it all.

But her mother's words never left her.

When the darkness engulfed Gaia and she survived, she kept herself alive through sheer determination to live out the promise she had made to Cloud. And once again it led her down an unknown path straying far from the peaceful end she had imagined would be gifted to them (Avalanche was a group after all, not just her) for their hard work because she believed they weren't going to be fate's pushovers.

Still, that was until her friends had mostly fallen to the darkness or scattered in the remains of the chaos that had been unleashed on them. Those that had died. . . their deaths would not be forgotten and yet not a burden.

Her fists clenched.

This was her life, her choice, her chance to see her mother's advice through. It would be hard again, just like the old days. Food would be scarce, sometimes to the point of going solely on water. Materia would run low along with her patience and what fire was left in her eyes would triple out of pure refusal to kneel.

All for them.

It had _always _been for them.

The tunnel of darkness she walked suddenly flared with brightness.

The final stretch of the trip always sapped her of everything. She could almost _feel _the light inside her flicker as her body was jerked through to the other side.

It was in such a state of delirium that she was unceremoniously dumped into new terrain after following what she believed had been Cloud chasing Sephiroth. Surrounded by heartless, all she could do was groan and let her head fall back to the ground for a second, dragging herself up a moment later and slapping the first one away with little to no effort.

The others followed the first as the fighter grimaced. Her movements were slow but full of deadly efficiency.

Three, four, five, the dissipating figures kept stacking up, soon going into double digits as she continued down to the last one. Grabbing the final heartless' helmet, she didn't hesitate in whipping the head sideways and listening to the satisfying crunch of a snapped neck (did it even have one?).

It was as Tifa was dusting herself off that she finally caught the feeling of being watched, turning to look around and finding a man following her movements from the entrance of the small cave she assumed she would've headed towards anyways.

"Guess my help isn't needed here." His voice was low but velvety. Tifa exhaled, flicking a stray strand out of her eyes.

"You seen a guy named Cloud around here?" The man raised an eyebrow.

"Blond, carries a huge sword?" Nodding, she tensed in expectation.

"Just missed him."

Smiling crookedly, Tifa bit back another sigh. "Well, why doesn't that surprise me?"

As if on a silent cue in the silence that followed, thunder split the skies above them and she felt the first signs of rain on her pale skin. Walking towards him, she noted his steely gaze as it led to the heavens.

"It's gonna get worse. Town's this way." Nudging his head to the cave behind him, he turned on his heel and began walking without further questioning her.

So she followed.

They continued in silence for a while, interrupted only by the steadily heavier rain and an occasional duo or trio of heartless that was quickly dealt with.

It was in this silence that curiosity took over Tifa and she watched him, mentally taking in everything. She was a creature filled with many questions by nature, having at first enjoyed the freedom of her travels by learning as much as she could about the worlds she passed. That enthusiasm had been long gone now, a small flicker that came to life every once in a while when she was truly sparked beyond just a quick glance or complete ignorance.

Tifa had reached the point past exhaustion and yet somehow felt renewed with the chance this man offered her to be civil-to speak a known language and see a town. . . something that she hadn't done in well over four months of hopping around following a fresh trail.

He looked young. Older than her maybe, but not by much. Steely blue eyes almost to a dark shade of metal grey and dark brown hair that came down in layered spikes to his shoulders. Black clothing mostly, with what she would almost call a fetish for belts, and a blade more similar to a giant gun than an actual sword, though it seemed to offer both perks.

And then she noted something amazing.

When the first of the groups of heartless attacked them, he had jumped in front of her. Still, she flawlessly took his side as he was fighting, guarding him from behind. There wasn't a single word uttered between them as the horde fell upon them swiftly. A roundhouse kick, three quick jabs, a well-aimed block by her companion from behind-in her heart it almost felt as if they had fought together before.

He read her as quickly as she learned him, and they managed without ever once hitting each other. That's when she knew just how skilled he was. Even with Cloud, sometimes it would be more a game of hit and run with an enemy because his attacks could at times be clumsy, brimming with emotion. But with this man it was simple. There was respect for space and a regard only a fighter would know when recognizing another of their kind.

With such intriguing company, it didn't feel that far to town even though they had travelled well over three miles by foot. It was treacherous and she was soaked to the bone, but that didn't phase her at all.

The town had begun to loom ahead of them long before she even realized it, and Tifa couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed at such a short companionship.

But she wouldn't ask for more.

"The name of the town is Radiant Garden." Glancing back to her, he continued without stopping. "Just thought you should know."

Smiling at his back, Tifa nodded. "Thanks."

She followed him well into the town until he finally stopped to speak to a young woman who he entrusted her with.

Without any hesitation, he nodded a goodbye to her and walked off down a totally different direction.


	2. Good and Bad People

**A/N**: Thank yo to those who reviewed! Hopefully I can keep writing to your liking :) I know I'm thoroughly gonna enjoy exploring this couple!

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Idiots Don't Go to Heaven

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** Ch.1: Good and Bad People**

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"It's nice to meet you, my name is Sorako." A bright smile and a small hand were offered to her.

Tifa quickly took in her appearance, naturally reading the younger woman.

Sorako was shorter, with bright brown eyes and an easy smile. Her thick brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail with stubborn wisps framing her face and an outfit meant more for movement than anything: shorts, a salmon colored tank top, simple necklace, and black sneakers. The few accessories she had on her otherwise implied more work than fashion statement.

Even with this harmless demeanor though, her grip was firm. It wasn't until she leaned a little on her right leg that Tifa noticed the guns strapped to the back of her belt.

"I'm Tifa." She replied, already gaining more respect for the other young woman.

"Seeing as you need a room, you'll be staying with me until further notice. We don't have the inn totally built yet, sorry."

"Oh, that's fine." Shrugging, the fighter followed the smaller woman through the streets, noting all the construction equipment and unfinished buildings surrounding her.

"As you can tell, the darkness got a hold of this world too. It's just that now, the survivors have banned together and are trying to rebuild what we can. Even the children have been put to some extent of work."

It didn't surprise her anymore. What few towns she had seen all were in different stages of repair--or lack thereof.

It didn't really take long to cross to the other side of the town where Sorako's home was. In that short time Tifa had also gotten a basic rundown of the town, areas she might want to avoid, and other tidbits of useful information.

"Oh by the way, the guy who brought you here is Leon." Flicking a glance over her shoulder, Sorako took out her keys and inserted them into the door they were currently in front of. "He doesn't talk much, if at all, and he can be a bit of a stiff but he means well."

Grinning, she held the door open for Tifa, who hesitated for a moment.

"Something wrong?" The taller of the two frowned then, sighing as her brow furrowed.

"I've never had anyone just take me into their home so easily. It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything but. . ." She couldn't help the chuckle at her own awkwardness. "Its hard I guess for me to understand-"

"Why I'm letting you sleep under my roof when you could stick a knife in my back?" Sorako finished, smiling.

No one in the whole of her life had ever offered Tifa a place without a second thought; it caught her completely off guard. Always, _always _there was doubt, there was a quick glance back, a careful scrutiny of her being as she offered the gil for her stay.

And not once did she blame them.

But the girl before her had done nothing to buy herself time, hadn't ditched her, didn't even look at her in anything of a hint at suspicion.

Tifa shrugged then. "Yeah, I guess that's it."

Sighing, Sorako leaned back onto the door frame, looking into her house with a shrug.

"Since I was little, I always looked at people's eyes. Don't know why, but I've always been able to tell a bad person from a good one that way. Of course, I could be wrong--I have been before--but it was Leon who brought you to me." At this, her deep gaze fell on Tifa. "That alone means more than you think."

And leaving her to contemplate that, Sorako ducked inside. Following closely behind, Tifa noted that the younger of the two didn't place her weapons down when she passed the dining room table. Instantly she recognized the habit--after all, Vincent had always done the same. Only someone who had fought for a long time kept a weapon within easy reach at all times-it was one of the first things one learned the hard way. And though she barely knew the girl, the bar maiden's heart ached to see such a frame of mind already anchored in her.

"There's two bedrooms. The guest one is the one down that hall by the kitchen and to your left. Well, I guess it's your room now, for as long as you choose to stay. All I ask is that if you can, to help me just keep it tidy around here. Don't worry about rent. The place was a gift to me and I see no need to be stingy with a guest."

"I appreciate it, really. If there's anything you need. . ."

"If you really want to be helpful, if you honestly have nothing pending, then the best way you can pay us back would be by just helping out wherever you can. I'm not gonna ask you for any money, for anything as long as you promise me that you'll pitch in a bit as long as you stay here. News spreads fast around these parts. I'm sure the others already know you're here. So just, I dunno, make yourself useful?"

Nodding, the fighter relented then. "Alright, sounds fair."

"Well, sounds like a plan. I have something I have to tend to so if you will excuse me, make yourself at home. I'll be sure to get you a duplicate key sometime soon too." Sorako started heading towards one of the doors and then hesitated again. "I'll make dinner for us at around eight or nine so if you decide to explore, just try to be back by then. See ya, Tifa."

She nodded a goodbye to her, watching Sorako go into (what she assumed was) the other bedroom and softly close the door behind her. And though she found it odd to see someone locking themselves in their room for what she implied would be quite a while, Tifa figured it had something to do with the work the girl did in the town.

Being left like that was awkward. It didn't take her long to start squirming and trying to find something to do. It was early still, she'd guess somewhere around maybe two or three in the afternoon (if that) and the routine she had mastered in search of Cloud (find a safe hiding/resting place, scout out surroundings, search for Cloud) somehow began to fall apart as she quietly opened the door to her new bedroom.

It wasn't anything special really, just a bed with a honey colored wood frame and a semi-attempt at matching through the light blue blankets. The matching curtains were drawn over the windows, and there was a lamp sitting neatly in the corner beside the nightstand. Even though it was spotless, Tifa could tell no one had lived in the room in a while--possibly even never.

Sitting on the edge of the bed she slipped off her boots and sighing, forced herself up to open the curtains. Her fingers tugged on the light fabric as she winced in the sudden flow of light. Blinking, she began to make out the cobblestone street that faced her window and smiled as she watched children run past.

She could adjust to a life in a place like this.

But as the thought formed in her mind, the smile that had accompanied it faded.

She couldn't possibly stay in a place like this. Not without at least trying to find Cloud. It wouldn't be fair to him if she wasn't there when he needed her most--contrary to what he believed. Nibelheim, Midgar, Gaia, the universe. . . she had been by his side through all of them.

And that wasn't going to change now.

It was with that thought in mind that she pushed off of the window ledge and got her boots back on, leaving the bedroom door slightly ajar so Sorako would notice her absence and not be alarmed that the front door was unlocked (though she did close it of course).

If Cloud's trail was still recent here, then information wouldn't be too hard to find. Seriously, how many humans had spiky blond hair like his and a blade bigger than most of his companions?

The streets were tidy, nothing like the ones she remembered in Midgar or even in the building of Edge. Everything was compact and packed together tightly enough that alleys at times seemed barely wide enough for one person to go through without brushing the walls with their shoulders.

People were nice. They answered politely and at times even offered suggestions as to places she should consider searching. Still, since the place was still growing it didn't take her long to ask most of the residents. By the time she began to consider quitting for the day, the clouds that had hung overhead were lit a dusty light blue that helped her estimate the time at about five or six at night.

Afterward, for a while she just walked.

It didn't take her long to find herself wandering into the outskirts. As the sky got darker and darker, Tifa stumbled upon the ruins that she had been escorted through that morning. It wasn't hard to recognize the half finished staircase and the new fountains jutting out of the stone walls, or the crude latticework of pipes forming a skeleton of the building that would soon be erected around them.

There were still puddles everywhere and it was darker out here without the aid of streetlamps. Everything still looked muddy from the rain that morning but it didn't take her long to climb down onto the pathway created between the rocky (and strangely colored) cliffs.

The sound of her sneakers on the wet rubble almost seemed as loud as gunshots in the silence. For a moment she wondered if she hadn't just stepped into a whole new realm. To confirm that she hadn't, she looked behind her at the building she had just climbed down from--which was still just as she had seen it moments before.

It was baffling how quickly everything changed: the feel of warmth, of _life _among the area.

Nothing existed here but the jutting indigo cliffs. The sky somehow seemed to magnify the effect of the landscape with its own shade of blue instead of prevailing in its own magnificence. For a moment she was breathless, staring out at the land with wide eyes and marveling for once at the sleeping giant before her. In her heart it felt as if there was something just waiting for her there, calling.

It unsettled her heart, sent a chill down her spine.

Here, standing in the ruins between civilization and the realms of nature and heartless, she couldn't help but feel small. To a certain point it almost made her feel powerless to be human.

The breeze left over from the storm kicked up then, whispering in her ear and toying with the edges of her long ponytail. But even so, the area before her remained soundless.

It . . . called to her.

"Didn't get enough of the heartless yet?"

Her reaction was instant. The offensive position she slipped into came as naturally as her heartbeat as her knees bent, ready to spring and her slack hands turned to hardened fists. The wine tint of her irises nearly glowed in the falling sunset as she scrutinized the shadows and her muscles tensed.

It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the near pitch black of the shadows created but the pose was near unmistakable, even if she had just met him.

"That's dangerous you know." Sighing, Tifa's arms came slowly down to her sides. She tried to ignore the relief that took over her.

Steely eyes turned to regard her own gaze.

"They get worse at night."

Tifa shrugged.

"This isn't my first day traveling alone, trust me."

The way she said it somewhat bothered him. Leon looked her over then for a moment, trying to find a hint at a lie, or at least something that said she was somewhat afraid.

He found nothing.

She in turn, just stared back at him.

"Sorako said to make myself useful during my time here. I don't plan on letting her down."

For some reason he couldn't even begin to fathom, his mouth moved quicker than his thoughts.

"You didn't find anything, did you?"

It came out more as a statement than a question.

Something flickered in her gaze then, surprising him. Trying to look deeper into it, his eyes narrowed as he unconsciously took a step forward.

But as he did so, just like it appeared it was gone.

Tifa half grinned, shrugging. "It isn't the first time."

There was something alarming about how she smiled in that moment. It confused him because he was sure he had seen her slip, if only for an instant, allowing _something _to show through strongly in her gaze. And try as he might to ignore it, there was a feeling akin to a sudden itch in him to know what he had just seen.

Leon tried hard to find a trace, anything to give her away in the silence and couldn't. Her face was calm, flawless even, staring back at him just as intently and without a hint of a problem in her wine tinted gaze.

For some strange reason, it began to trouble him more--she was astoundingly good at fooling people. It was the same as when he had first seen her. Without knowing he had been there, she had allowed something to leak through in her features, some frustration and anger to take over as she fought. And seeing her taking down heartless like that caught his interest. There was just something that seemed raw in her, some feeling that he didn't understand. But then, just like that she had changed when she saw him, seemed quiet, polite, a young woman out on a stroll. If it wasn't for her clothes and what his own eyes had seen, he would have believed it too.

But her fighting gave her away.

He didn't speak to her at first earlier that morning because of how fascinating it was to have seen the grace behind her movements, the almost dance-like quality to her kicks and jumps as she focused her feelings into every move.

That was all it was, he told himself. It was just the interest he had taken to her unique fighting ability, the oxymoron of grace and rough feeling.

"I'm not going to save you if something happens." He declared, more at peace with himself now that he had an explanation for his piqued curiosity.

She no longer held his interest.

Tifa in turn, just cocked her head slightly to the side as she watched him leave.

"Name's Tifa by the way!" She called to his back.

He stopped a few feet away, nodding as he turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"Leon."

Tifa smiled.


	3. Short Skirts Are Bad For Your Health

**A/N**: Thank you for all the kind reviews! I'm so sorry for the delay, but computer troubles always seem to be around the corner ;; Nonetheless, here's the next chapter, so please don't lose faith in me! XD

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**Ch. 3: Short Skirts Are Bad For Your Health**

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"She's going to get sick."

That was the first thing Leon said to Sorako when she bumped into him in the plaza a few days after he found Tifa in the rain and the small gunfighter had brought up her new roommate. His steely gaze was leveled and almost scolding, leaving her speechless with amusement.

"She was foolishly walking around in the rain for who knows how long before I found her. I'd suggest you tell her to change or something if she doesn't want to kill herself."

He was so _totally_ avoiding her eyes-which confounded her more.

In fact, it caught her so much by surprise that she floundered with her words as she answered, trying hard not to grin at his authoritative tone.

"I-I'll let her know." Blinking, she watched his retreating back as he melted back into the morning market crowd, but not before giving her a small nod (and uncomfortable glance).

Continuing her own path home, she wondered what the query of her morning was doing and if she would even be there to have breakfast with (and prod with this interesting message). Sure enough, as she got home ten minutes later, Tifa was sitting on the couch staring out the window. Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled at Sorako, getting up immediately to help her with the groceries.

"Thanks."

"No problem." For a few minutes they shuffled around the small kitchen, avoiding collisions and at one point nearly ramming into each other as they tried to reach opposite shelves. Somehow though, everything got done and Sorako promptly shooed Tifa out of the kitchen so that she could cook for them both.

Sighing, the bar maiden complied and sat down at the kitchen table where she could watch the other young woman work without being in her way. She caught the small mutters, the flinch as the metal spoon scraped the pan, and the somewhat nervous movements. But most of all, she caught the smell beginning to waft through the room.

She sat like that, simply taking in the peaceful atmosphere, drifting in and out as her companion asked an opinion here and there on her preferences. There was a smile of content on her face, chin propped up on one hand.

_It's the little things, _she told herself, _these are what count in the end_.

It was the smell of warm food, the feel of a sturdy table, the voice of someone other than the memories in your head. It was warmth from the sun, the sounds of life in a home, the feel of the cool tile under your bare feet.

Little things; that's what Tifa enjoyed.

But she was a realist.

She knew it couldn't all be good.

If one were to tally up everything she had done in her life, every mistake she made, life she failed to save, fate she had toyed with, she was sure that the guardians of heaven would throw up their books in frustration and pages would go flying everywhere with everything she could've done differently.

Loud swearing drifted out of the kitchen as Sorako flicked her wrist back and forth, diving for the sink and sticking a bright red index finger under the flow of cold water.

"I'm fine!" She called out sheepishly as she went back to work, leaving a somber Tifa to her musings again.

Had her path really been this long so far?

Sometimes she would lay awake at night and the light she had harbored to save Cloud flickered dangerously as memories took over the place of dreams.

Tallies, and tallies, and more tallies in her book.

She could say it was her fault Aeris had died, because somewhere deep inside she felt responsible for it. Watching from the side in pure shock as your comrade and (practically) sister was rammed through with the same sword that had killed your father should've been quite a doozy of a tally against her.

Then there were the others.

But of course, those stories were for later, maybe when she found someone crazy enough to listen—if she was willing to tell. As a bartender it had come easily to listen but never to speak. As such, Tifa became acquainted with the ways of the world through story alone and learned to see others as vessels of a fantasy much greater than anyone could dream of, while at the same time never once uttering a single thread of information about herself.

She wasn't a _once upon a time_. There was a time where she had come to the conclusion that she was herself and nothing more: daughter of a mountain man and born in a small backwoods town.

That was it--that was Tifa Lockhart.

The sound of a plate being set in front of her snapped her mind back to the present, the wonderful smell drifting tauntingly under her nose.

They chatted little between bites, Sorako asking basic questions about how her travels had been, and general heartless tactics and the like. It wasn't until they got to dessert (on Sorako's insistence) that things took an interesting turn.

"I saw Leon in the marketplace today."

Surely that would've meant nothing to Tifa, except for the fact that there was a bit of a twinkle to the other brunette's eye that she recognized as bordering wicked—last time she had seen that look had been right before Yuffie Kisaragi ninja'ed their group out of materia (and one of Cloud's swords just to thoroughly get under his skin).

At this point, she hesitated in her bite, but not before flawlessly falling back into the guise of disinterest.

"Oh yeah? How is he?"

"He seemed ok." Was the prompt answer, followed by a grin. "He had a message for you though."

Uh oh.

A quick bite as Tifa raised an eyebrow questioningly, unable to hide the sudden curiosity as to why someone as much of a wall as Cloud would deem her worthy of his few words.

"Leon wants you to change into something more travel-friendly." Leave it to the hostess extraordinaire, guide of all conversation and goddess of feigned interest to get caught off guard, somehow perfectly timing a swallow during the moment Sorako's statement called for a gasp.

"Are you ok?!" The scrape of a chair and Sorako was instantly by her side handing her the glass of water.

It took three chugs and a full minute of gasping in air to finally get her face to turn normal again and her breathing to return.

"Ok," She said, closing her eyes slowly and inhaling deeply, "Run that by me again please?"

Wide brown eyes reflecting nothing but confusion, it took a moment for Sorako to catch up to Tifa's thought process and then, "Oh!" A sheepish laugh. "The Leon thing, right- he doesn't want you to get sick is all."

As if it wasn't weird enough to have some stranger worrying over her clothes, he was worried about her _health_? If she could get this much out of Cloud, it would give her a heart attack!

"Well, I don't know who will see him first, so if you run into him before me," taking a breath and trying to process something that would sound okay, Tifa looked away in thought, "tell him . . . that I appreciate his concern but that I'll be just fine."

"Well, as long as he doesn't kill the messenger, I'll tell'im." Was the reply, accompanied by a grin.

That was pretty much the end of it.

After that, Sorako drifted to her room and left Tifa watching television on the couch.

Well, ok that was the end of it on _her_ end.

On the other side of town, a twig of a woman spotted her prey sitting at a café table by himself with a book in his hands. The grin she wore could've split her face in two as she made her way to Leon, who by now knew it was her by the loud footfalls on the pavement.

Slamming her palms down on the table, she didn't miss the wince from a cornered Leon or the evil glare from the waiter tending to the table behind his. Of course though, that didn't phase her one bit as she took the ice cream she had stuck in her mouth in her hand.

"So what's she like?!" There was no hello, no "hey how are ya," or anything. If Leon ever would have to give a possible good comment about her, it would be that she was straight to the point. Other than that, he'd be hard pressed to really add anything—otherwise he'd be lying.

Calmly, he flipped a page.

"Squaaaaaaa-"

-_ universe is a vast place. As such, I theorize that- _

"That's not my name." He interrupted. It couldn't be helped really, what with him telling her a million times not to call him that. Now, if he could just read about the theories of this scientist maybe he could propose a way to open an alternate dimension and keep Yuffie there for the rest of forever . . . which he doubted was enough time.

He could feel her eyes practically boring a hole through the book and straight into his face. But as stubborn as she was, he could match her. It wasn't like he was wielder of the gunblade, leader of the Restoration Committee, and winner of Radiant Garden's first annual Top Man award (which was really the hotness award started by the Garden biddies) for nothing, right?

. . .

Right?

"Is she pretty? Does she fight? She own anything of value?" Wagging her eyebrows suggestively, Yuffie Kisaragi leaned in close as she grinned mischievously.

_. . . bending space in such a way that—_wait. Things of value?

Slowly, he lowered the book from his face, raising an eyebrow at her. The petite ninja just blinked. Giving her the first and (hopefully) final go-away-before-I-shoot-you glare, the book slowly was raised to its original position.

It was always the same process. She would come and annoy the living daylights out of him in a whirlwind of energy, poke him until she got what she wanted out of him (he unconsciously checked that his wallet was still in his pocket), and somehow managed to keep him wondering what had just happened long after she was gone.

Apparently, today would be no exception.

"Long brown hair, kinda on the shorter side, seems human, wears a skirt, and is a lot better company than you." He blurted. Wait—that last part wasn't supposed to come out. He could already see where his blunder was heading-

"Oooooh, Leon has a new lady friiiieeeend!" She stuck her popsicle in his empty coffee cup, her smile becoming shark-like as she closed the distance between them in a way that reminded him unnervingly of an interrogation room.

He had to admit, the kid had talent.

"Where she staying? How long? Oh my GOSH Squall, it was about TIME we found you a girlfriend! Is she all like, girly or tomboy? What's her name? Where she from? How did you find her?"

_She's staying at Sorako's for as long as she wants. _Of course that wasn't going to come out of his mouth. He didn't believe she deserved such punishment as to meet Yuffie.

_I don't need a girlfriend. _This was just getting annoying how every new female in town was suddenly girlfriend material for him until the next one showed up. He. DIDN'T. Want. A. Girlfriend.

End of story.

Was she a tomboy? No, not really. Fighting with her, getting to see her style in action, cemented that. She wasn't one to be trifled with, but there was no mistaking she knew she was a woman and was comfortable in her own skin.

Grudgingly, under threat of the worst possible death, he guessed he would admit that he respected her for that.

Tifa, that was her name. Other than that, he couldn't say he could answer many other of Yuffie's questions about her. Thinking about it now, he couldn't remember them discussing their pasts. It wasn't like they really had time to kill or a real need to speak much. It just happened that she didn't mind his silence and for the most part kept her own when they crossed paths.

Which hadn't been often the last few days.

It wasn't surprising for him to find her wandering the canyons sometimes, clearing heartless out by herself, mini skirt and all.

"Helloooooooo." Waving a gloved hand in his face, Yuffie looked at him skeptically. "Jeez it can't be THAT good of a book!"

Sighing, Leon gave up and closed the paperback, tucking it under his arm as he pulled out his wallet and left his payment on the table. Hesitating, steely eyes looked down from the ice cream Yuffie had reclaimed to the actual girl in question, who eyes him suspiciously.

"I'm assuming you haven't paid for that." Shoving some coins into her hand, he walked past her and ignored the huff of indignation that surely was accompanied by the face she usually made at his retreating back.

After a while of walking, and making sure she wasn't following, he made his way to the bailey in hopes of finding it empty enough to calmly continue his book. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't his day and Leon instead came face to face with the blonde Tifa had been chasing perched on the edge of the makeshift window.

"Tifa's been looking for you." He winced at the name, electric blue eyes turning to meet Leon's gaze.

"How is she?" Pain in his voice.

Shrugging, Leon opted to lean against the wall. Somehow facing a man who was vulnerable didn't seem right. "She's okay. Staying at a girl's house not too far from here."

"Oh."

Closing his eyes, Leon took in the silence as Cloud contemplated. Funny how as soon as a situation didn't call for blood, Strife could be as awkward as a child. Somehow he couldn't see how Tifa could be in love with him. To him, it looked more like she was his mother.

A woman soaked in the rain, braving a storm with a stranger and trusting that he wouldn't stab her in the back. How could he leave her alone like that?

"Why are you avoiding her so much?" Honestly, he hadn't been planning on asking, but the curiosity was too much. In a strange way, he almost felt angry for her.

Silence again, then "She's. . . . intimidating."

Intimidating?

A part of the brunette wanted to ask more, but he accepted the answer with a nod. He figured it wasn't his right to ask, what with it not being his problem to begin with, and Cloud obviously not willing to say more on the matter, even if it did leave him with a nagging feeling.

Instead, Leon gave up on reading and pushing off the wall, uttered a "later" over his shoulder. He almost made it out before Cloud called him, stopping him in his tracks.

"I'm leaving again." He said, gaze on Leon's back.

There was hesitation, and then the twitch of fingers over the hilt of the gunblade as Leon shrugged. "Okay."

_Take care of Tifa, don't tell her I was here, don't let her do something stupid. _

He could almost read Cloud's mind perfectly. But he wanted to hear the former mercenary say it instead. He had no hold over Tifa in any way but took a sort of satisfaction in seeing the blonde squirm.

There was a reason why Leon thought he wasn't a good person.

But right now, he didn't care.

Turning away, he began heading down the crude latticework to make his way to the canyon, not bothering to check if Cloud was still watching him from the bailey edge. He dumped the book on one of the stairs to the platform leading out and began to toy with the hilt of his gunblade again, the cool metal reassuring under his fingertips.

The sun would set soon, but he was more than ready to take on the night shift today.

His walk wasn't long before he saw a figure sitting on a large boulder and staring up at the sky.

"Hey." Somehow, he knew she would be there too.

Her eyes were a deep rich brown in the light of the falling sun as they fell on him, her grin welcoming as she jumped down from her perch.

"Tifa." He greeted, nodding at her.

She fell in step with the gunblade wielder, walking besides him silently with her hands clasped behind her back and a smile on her face. They headed deeper and deeper into the canyon with the stars slowly lighting up above them and the town drifting off into the distance behind them.

The heartless were far and few between as they began the patrol, the efficiency of both fighters making it simple to take on the strays. Little by little the town finally disappeared on the horizon, the moon their only light for the rest of their time together.

The sound of their footsteps on gravel filled their ears as they continued, but it wasn't enough to distract Leon--neither were the heartless or her sporadic comments and questions about his fighting style. It was a while before he mustered the courage to break the companionable silence, wondering if he should tell his companion he had just seen the end of her search in the bailey.

Three heartless later and he finally sucked it up and decided that since it was her right to know, he would tell her. This was information she wanted and he had no reason to withhold that from her—it was her decision to do with it as she liked, even if that decision hurt her.

With that resolve in mind, he waited until they finished clearing out the small area they had just entered and then began to slow down.

"I. . ." Turning to her as they came to a halt, his eyes fell on hers and the rest of his sentence died in his throat. Then the guilt began to settle in.

Should he tell her? Was it his right to interfere when clearly Cloud didn't want to see her, even though she was desperately searching for him?

Most of all, did Leon want to be responsible for helping Cloud hurt Tifa even more?

He swallowed hard.

"You . . . ?" The young woman shifted from foot to foot, encouraging him with a raise of her eyebrows and a tilt of her head. She looked so young and radiant in that moment. It was baffling to him how she still chose to smile through the problems he was positive she had; because he knew he had them as well.

He couldn't do this to her.

He didn't have the guts to be responsible over something so potentially damaging to someone who had done nothing to him.

Sighing heavily, he handed her his gunblade for a moment, avoiding her puzzled gaze as he took off his jacket and threw it around her shoulders, grabbing the blade from her hands immediately after.

Walking past her and hoping she didn't see the tinge on his face, Leon could almost feel the smile on her lips.

"I still think you're gonna get sick." He muttered.

Tifa slipped on the jacket, rolling her eyes as she trotted after him.


End file.
